1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to location systems and, more specifically, to a system able to locate and track a user retaining a portable locator unit using numerous location technologies including the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) System and the generation of a beacon for use in pinpointing the location of the locator unit and thus the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous types of location systems have been provided in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,043,736; 5,485,163; 6,014,080; 5,014,040; 5,841,396; 6,064,336; 4,275,398; 4,673,936; 5,731,757; 6,014,080; 6,076,099; 6,100,806; 6,104,931; 6,111,538; 6,111,539; 6,140,956; 6,169,497; 6,172,640 and 5,874,914 all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
The invention comprises a portable locator unit useful both as a cellular telephone and portable global positioning system that provides latitude and longitude information remotely to a base unit display. The system includes a small hand held receiver that receives signals from a satellite global positioning system and timing and computing circuits to provide location information signals. The hand held unit also includes a modem and transmitter to a cellular telephone network which is connected to the base unit computational system and display. The location of an individual or object can thus be determined at the remote station through the use of the cellular telephone network.
A system and method for locating a portable locator device in a communications network. The portable locator unit (PLU) (4) is activated either by an external signal (62) generated in response to remote activation source, such as a subscriber (6, 8) or PLU detector (106, 108), or by an internal activation signal triggered e.g. by the wearer. Once activated, the PLU (4) transmit a location signal (66). This location signal (66) is received by one or more network service nodes (20, 22, 24) which forward the information along with identifying service node information to a network location processor (26, 28). After having determined the location of the PLU (4) from the received information, the network location processor (26, 28) forwards this information to a designated source, such as the requested subscriber or other authorized user (6, 8).
Tamper resistant body-worn tracking device to be worn by offenders or potential victims for use in a wireless communication system receiving signals from a global positioning system (GPS). The tracking device directly communicates spacial coordinates to multiple remote sites. The tracking device is an enclosed case worn on a limb of a person. The case contains a battery, a signalling device, and a circuit board containing a field programmable gate array, a wireless data modem, a conventional GPS receiver, and a matching filtering GPS receiver.
A personal locator transmitter adapted to be worn on the wrist and having the size and appearance of a conventional wrist-watch. This transmitter is provided with a programmable memory, a transmitter controlled by the memory, an antenna for reliably radiating signals from the transmitter regardless of orientation of the wrist of a user and including both a manually operable alarm activated by pressing a button, and an automatic alarm actuated by an attempt to remove the unit from the wrist of the wearer. The unit is controlled by a control memory comprised of an EPROM encoded with unique identification codes and other information as required in the specific application.
A precision carrier frequency signal for calibrating a local oscillator of a GPS receiver which is used to acquire GPS signals. The precision carrier frequency signal is used to calibrate the local oscillator such that the output of the local oscillator, which is used to acquire GPS signals, is modified by a reference signal generated from the precision carrier frequency signal. The GPS receiver locks to this precision carrier frequency signal and generates the reference signal. In another aspect of the invention, satellite almanac data is transmitted to a remote GPS receiver unit from a basestation via a communication link. The remote GPS receiver unit uses this satellite almanac data to determine approximate Doppler data for satellites in view of the remote GPS receiver unit.
A precision carrier frequency signal for calibrating a local oscillator of a GPS receiver which is used to acquire GPS signals. The precision carrier frequency signal is used to calibrate the local oscillator such that the output of the local oscillator, which is used to acquire GPS signals, is modified by a reference signal generated from the precision carrier frequency signal. The GPS receiver locks to this precision carrier frequency signal and generates the reference signal. In another aspect of the invention, satellite almanac data is transmitted to a remote GPS receiver unit from a basestation via a communication link. The remote GPS receiver unit uses this satellite almanac data to determine approximate Doppler data for satellite in view of the remote GPS receiver unit.
A radio locator system uses transceivers located in a mobile and at least two stationary stations. Each stationary station serves as one end of a surveyor""s baseline. Therefore, since the transceivers are located at opposite ends of a line having a known length, their broadcast signals provide direct distance measurements of two other lines extending between the individual stationary stations and the mobile unit, thereby cooperating with the known line to complete a trilateralization. Each station in the system is identified by a uniquely encoded stream of pulse bursts, each burst encompassing a wide, preprogrammed change of frequency for eliminating interference between the signals used in the locator system and the signals of other users of the same frequency band. An inversion of the preprogrammed frequency change is used for the return of the ranging system signal in order to substantially eliminate or suppress echo returns to the mobile or interrogator station. The sound of the preprogrammed station identifying frequency changes is sometimes called xe2x80x9cchirpingxe2x80x9d.
A small-sized transmitting apparatus for search and rescue operation (SARTR) adapted to be worn by a user for emitting a microwave rescue signal upon a marine accident involving the user. The SARTA includes a power supply, a transmitter unit energizable by the power supply and having a microwave oscillator, a transmitting antenna receiving of a microwave output from the transmitter unit for emitting the microwave rescue signal, a case accommodating the power supply, the transmitter unit, and the transmitting antenna and attachable directly to the user""s body, or mountable on clothing or the like worn by the user for being carried thereby, and a switch unit mounted in the case for controlling the emission of the micromave rescue signal.
A portable locator or tracking apparatus is provided for continuous location determination of subjects which communicates with a body-worn, non-removable, tamper resistant transceiver and a central data-base system. The portable tracking apparatus has a Global Position System (GPS) receiver and inertial sensors for determining location, microprocessors for logic and mathematical algorithm processing, memory for programs and data, a wireless transceiver for communications with the body-worn device, a wireless transceiver for communicating with the central data-base system, an alpha-numeric display for displaying text messages sent to the subject acoustic speaker and microphone for voice and tone messages with subjects, electronic tamper sensors, motion sensors, attitude position sensor, batteries and external connectors for power, recharge, communications and auxiliary antennas.
Tamper resistant body-worn tracking device to be worn by offenders or potential victims for use in a wireless communication system receiving signals from a global positioning system (GPS). The tracking device directly communicates spacial coordinates to multiple remote sites. The tracking device is an enclosed case worn on a limb of a person. The case contains a battery, a signalling device, and a circuit board containing a field programmable gate array, a wireless data modem, a conventional GPS receiver, and a matching filtering GPS receiver.
A method for a configurable intelligent-agent-based wireless communication system that can be used for conducting acquisition, processing, monitoring, tracking and reporting of data at remote mobile units over a wireless communication network. The system is comprised of an intelligent-agent-based wireless communication controller (110), a wireless data transmitter/receiver (120), a global positioning system data receiver (130), a plurality of data storage devices (140), a plurality of serial ports (150), a display device (160), and a battery with power charging circuitry (170).
An apparatus and method of monitoring mobile objects or persons utilizes the Global Positioning System satelltes and cellular telephone communications. The apparatus may include first and second remote units adapted to be worn on the monitored person or object. These remote units would comprise the position and data sensors as well as the transmitter device to transmit the information back to a central tracking station. The remote units may be operative to monitor many data items such as system integrity, motion, temperature, audio, and the like in addition to position. This data would then be transmitted back to a central monitoring station operative to process and display the information. The system is also adapted to monitor persons in hazardous environments such as radioactivity or poisonous gases or even to monitor inanimate objects such as automobiles.
A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for defining location services in a simplified manner based upon whether the positioning request is an interactive request or a batch mode request. In order to initiate a positioning request, a Location Application (LA) must first register with at least one Mobile Location Center (MLC), define the service parameters specific for that LA and receive a Location Application Identifier Number (LAIN). Thereafter, the LA can send either an interactive or batch mode positioning request along with the LAIN. An interactive positioning request is a request to position a specific subscriber or group of subscribers immediately, while a batch mode positioning request is a request to position a subscriber or group of subscribers when a particular event defined by the LA occurs. Advantageously, the definition of location services is decoupled from issues, such as the point of origin of the request, the identity of the subscriber to be positioned and authorization options.
Positioning system for locating a mobile body comprising a plurality of earth based spread spectrum (SS) broadcasting stations arranged geographically in a cellular pattern. Each SS broadcasting station include a modulator providing a channel signal structure which is substantially orthogonal with respect to adjacent stations in the cellular pattern, each channel signal including navigation beacon data including a unique beacon identification, station latitude and longitude, time slot and phase characterizations and selected parameters of adjacent stations. In one embodiment, each modulator provides a chirped SS signal in which the navigation beacon is a frequency tone that is repeatedly swept over a selected frequency band for each station. In a further embodiment, each modulator provides a GPS like direct sequence SS signal in which the navigation beacon is a PN coded broadcast. A receiver on the mobile body receives the SS signals from at least three of the SS broadcasting stations and determines the location thereof. A fourth SS broadcasting station provides altitude. Cellular Positioning System (CPS) satellite signals can be used for timing control.
A navigation information system includes a communications system having a fixed part and at least one mobile part, the fixed part including data storage and processing for identifying the location of a mobile unit, generating guidance information appropriate to that location and transmitting it to the mobile unit. By locating most of the complexity with the service provider, in particular the navigation computer and geographical database, the system can be readily updated and the capital cost of the in-vehicle system, which in its simplest form may be a standard cellular telephone, can be minimized. The user makes a request for guidance information, and the system, having determined the user""s present location, then transmits instructions to the user. The user""s present location can be determined by a Satellite Positioning System.
A system which tracks and monitors a vehicle by utilizing cellular communication componentry and global positioning system componentry is disclosed. The system provides for simultaneous and continuous transmission of a voice signal and location data to a monitoring center. The monitoring center comprises componentry to communicate with the vehicle and determine the vehicle""s location on a digitized map using a computer.
A mobile tracking and positioning system includes a plurality of mobile transmit and receive stations that track a mobile target which emits a radio signal in response to the occurrence of a tracking effort initiation event. The tracking stations have a GPS receiver or like means for determining their position, a radio direction finder responsive to the radio signal that determines the vector of the mobile target, a two-way communications system and a computer. The mobile transmit and receive stations exchange their position and direction to target information via the two-way communications systems, enabling the stations to triangulate the location of the target with their computers.
There is disclosed an object locator system (10) for requesting and obtaining information about the location of an individual animal or moveable object, having a lightweight, attached object locator (42), that is present in a region served by a two-way paging system (12) and a global positioning satellite system (50). The object locator (42) may be selectively activated to conserve power or enabled to respond only when beyond or within a boundary. Further, the object locator system (10) may provide the location information in several forms including rectangular or polar coordinates referred to a base station (18) or origin., position on a map display, etc.
A GPS receiver in one embodiment includes an antenna which receives GPS signals at an RF frequency from in view satellites; a downconverter coupled to the antenna for reducing the RF frequency of the received GPS signals to an intermediate frequency (IF); a digitizer coupled to the downconverter and sampling the IF GPS signals at a predetermined rate to produce sampled IF GPS signals; a memory coupled to the digitizer storing the sampled IF GPS signals (a snapshot of GPS signals); and a digital signal processor (DSP) coupled to the memory and operating under stored instructions thereby performing Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) operations on the sampled IF GPS signals to provide pseudorange information. These operations typically also include preprocessing and post processing of the GPS signals. After a snapshot of data is taken, the receiver front end is powered down. The GPS receiver in one embodiment also includes other power management features and includes, in another embodiment the capability to correct for errors in its local oscillator which is used to sample the GPS signals. The calculation speed of pseudoranges, and sensitivity of operation, is enhanced by the transmission of the Doppler frequency shifts of in view satellites to the receiver from an external source, such as a basestation in one embodiment of the invention.
The present invention relates generally to location systems and, more specifically, to a system able to locate and track a user retaining a portable locator unit using numerous location technologies including the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) System and the generation of a beacon for use in pinpointing the location of the locator unit and thus the user.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system that will overcome the shortcomings of prior art devices.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system which is able to track a missing person in both hostile and non-hostile situations.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system which is able to u se the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system to determine the location of a user in a secure power efficient manner.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system wherein the user retains a portable locator device which includes means for wirelessly connecting to both a communications network and the GPS and relaying the location determined by the GPS to a central station via the communications network.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system wherein the portable locator unit is able to generate a sonic or radio frequency beacon for aiding emergency personnel in pin pointing the location of the user.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system wherein the user is able to initiate an emergency call to the central station using the personal locator unit, whereby, in response to the call, the central station will contact a designated person as to the location and situation regarding the user.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system wherein the user is also able to initiate a non-emergency call to the central station, causing the central station to contact a designated person.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system wherein the user is able to initiate a voice call to another party via the central station using the locator unit without dialing phone numbers.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system that is simple and easy to use.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a personal location detection system that is economical in cost to manufacture.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
A personal locator system for determining the location of a locator unit is disclosed by the present invention. The system includes a locator device in communication with both a central station and a GPS satellite. The locator unit includes a portable housing able to be worn about the wrist of a user. A communication system is positioned within the housing for contacting the central station and includes a transmitter and receiver. A GPS unit is also positioned within the housing for contacting the GPS system for determining a location of said locator device. Upon receipt of a location request signal by the receiver from the central station, the locator unit activates the GPS unit to contact the GPS system and computes location data therefrom. Upon completing calculation of the location data, the locator transmits the location data to the central station for analysis. A panic button is provided for transmitting an emergency signal to the central station and initiating detecting the location of the locator unit. A non-emergency call button is provided for transmitting a location request signal to the central station and in response thereto, informing a person on the contact list as to the location of the locator device. The communication system utilizes one of a POTS, cellular, PCS or internet communications network. A tamper detection sensor detects when said device is tampered with. A beacon generator generates an ultrasonic or radio frequency beacon signal for aiding a person in pinpointing a location of the device.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.